Shock-absorbing apparatus for vehicles.



. E. RIIMILH-o.` y SHOCK ABSORBING APPARATUS PoR VEHICLES.

APPLICATIONIILED NGV. 2, 1900.

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/kv rf/v for? No. 861,769. PATENTED JULY 30, 1907. E. RIMAILHO.

SHOCK ABSORBING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLES.

APPLIGATION IILnn Nov. 2. 190e.

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EMILE RIMAILHQ, NEUILLYfSUR-SEINE, FRANCE, ASSIVGNOR T HENRY HAMELLE, OF

PARIS, FRANCE.

-snooK-Ansonnmr APPAnA'ros Fon VEHICLES.

no. s619769.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30,1907.

` I Application filed Nvmber 2, 19067. Serial No. 341,724.

` i' Seine, France, have inventd new and useful Improvements in Shock-Absorbing Apparatus for Vehicles', applicable also to other purposes, of which the following is a specification, Y. The-present invention' relates to a shock absorber or hydro-pneumatic buffer specially adapted for the suspension of vehicles but also applicable to other purposes. rThe apparatus comprises a closed cylinder in which air is'conned abdve a liquidand a piston guided and l movable with regard to each other. Said piston and cylinder are providedwith means for limiting their relative movement and the piston is so constructed as to afford as guid ce for the coacting part of the cylinder and to contain lubricant. The piston is also provided .'rwitha movable portion serving as avalve for lling and emptying the casing and further the two parts'of the piston are adapted to close the joint between the whole piston and the casing above referred to.

An aiciliary chamber or chambers for containing the liquid is or are provided so that the apparatus may be arranged in a horizontal, vertical or intermediate position as hereinafter explained.

Several forms of apparatus constructed according to this invention are presented in the annexed drawing air is confined above a suitable liquid. This cylinder is provided with asingle aperture for passage oi a specially constructed piston in two parts forming the second element. The cylinder is so' constructed as to limit the outward movement of the piston.

The latter comprises peripheral portions a-f forming an annular chamber the width of which corresponds to the thickness of the cylinder g or in other words the interior diameter of e and exterior diameter of f correspond respectively to the exterior and-interior diameters of the cylinder g. The latter is thus guided'in the chamber formed by the peripheral portions a-'-f of the piston. A flange h on the cylinder forms an abutment for an inturned edge l1t' of the exterior part a of the pistonl to limit outward movement of the latter, the inward movement being limited by the depth of the chamber c. The latter not only serves as a guide for the relative movement of the cylinder and piston, but at the same time forms a receptacle for lubricant.

In the form shown in Figs. l 'and 2 vthe diameter of the exterior piston part e is enlarged at the upper part to form at this part between the'exterior of the cylinder g and the interior of piston part a a chamber din which the lubricant may pass. The chambers c and d communicate with each other by means of grooves b in the wall a of the piston. If on. one hand the relative guiding and retention of the cylinder and piston is due to the construction of the peripheral parts of the pistonin the form of an annular chamber, theernployment of the closed casing g is rendered possible by the construction of the axial portion of the piston in the form of a valve which permits of filling said casing with compressed air and liquid. This axialpart is adapted to be thus advantageously utilized b'y-the formation of a preferably movable head which forms a closue for the joint between the whole piston and the wall of the cylinder g.

In the form shown in Fig. 2 the axial part of the piston' is formed as a hollow shaft l, the closed inner end oi which is provided with openings 5 and splayed to form of head or flange 2. An intermediate partition 10 forms a guide for a valve- 6 normally held against said partition by a spring 7 located in the chamber 8. A screw threaded portion 9 at the outer 4extremity of the hollow shaft l permits of connecting a union for the filling of the cylinder g, and on said exterior end is screwed a nut ll for which a housing l2 is made in the end of the piston. The joint proper may consist of a cup leather 4 on which the splayed head 2 has a clampingaction by means ef a ring 3 of rubber or the like.

The two parts of the piston a f and 1 are relatively mov able so that they may clamp between them the joint 3--4 formed between the movable piston and the cylinder g. This clamping action is produced partly by screwing up the nut ll and is automatically completed by the pressure of liquid on the head 2. The buffer thus constructed is very compact and perfectly tight and may be rendered anti-vibratory if the cylinder gis divided into two chambers s and t by an intermediate partition k located in a central orifice m and in which is guided a valve p provided with apertures r. In order to pass from the chamber s into the chamber t the liquid raises the valve p from its seat formed by the surface of thepartition lc. Since the chamber t contains compressed air vabove the liquid therein 4the valve is normally held on its sea't and the liquid can only pass slowly through the apertures r; the movement of the liquid taking place at unequal speeds in the two directions the valve p acts as an Aanti-vibratory valve.

For convenience oi the application to a vehicle spring, the tivo elements 'ol' the buffer viz. the piston a-f and cylinder y may be provided with gudfzcons u and axles r or both ,with-gudgeons for connection to the wheel axle and to the spring'respoctivcly.

The two elements oi the buffer instead of being disposedvon a vertical axis, may be on a horizontal or inclined axis the essential condition being that the chamber g contains liquid and air so thaty in all positions, the chamber s is full oi liquid whereby the valve 1i andthe joint are constantly covered thereby.

In the lorm shown in Fig. 3 where the two elements are arranged horizontally the cylinder r/ is provided at its upper part with a box :n in wlch the air is confined whatever maybe the position of the piston n--f with regard to the cylinder g.

In the form shown in Figs. Ai and 5, the cylinder g is provided with two symmetrical boxes ,vr andy comnunlicntng7 by conduits 2 which also-connect thorn to the cylinder proper, or as shown more clearly in Fig. 5

an annular extension surrounds the cylinder y, Jh

be arranged as shown in the lgnres or inclined onevenplnccd vertically with the piston at the lower part.

A simili-ir' reversible' buffer may be mounted between tivo rotatable members an dv rotate through an angle of' I 360 while preserving its normal action.

Having now described my invention, what I chti n i as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shock absorber lor hydro-pneumatic buiier {omvehicle suspension or other purposes comprising a closed'casing or cylinder g in which compressed nir is coniined above thr` iiquld,in combination with a plungenpiston formedl of n. sleeve f cupped by the closeci,cylinder,a hollow shaft 1 arranged in the axis ot the sleeve f and provided with n splaycd head 2,--a\filling and-emptying valve (5,

4i, 7,'8) ior the cylinder y located within the hollow shaft 1,-:'u1d u device' "(3, 4) forming a joint between-tha, plungcr and the casing and clamped by the head 2 of the hollow shnit 1, substantially us described and for thpur poso set forth.

2. A shock absorber or hydro-pneumatic buier for ver hicle suspension or other purposes comprising 1 closed cas- YIn; or cylinder y, ya plunger-piston f which penetrates in sold closed cylinder', n easing o solid with the plunger and' surrounding the ciosccl cylinder, extensions or boxes made i solid and communicating with the closed cylinder in which iro located the liquid and ah' confined above same, and a valve-controlling snid communication, substantial-ly as described :1nd for' the purpose set forth. 

